Municipal solid waste management: a study of Calgary, Alberta

Abstract

The management of municipal solid waste in an environmentally safe and economically efficient manner has become a growing concern in Canada. Poor management and overburdened landfills have become increasingly serious problems in many cities, resulting in the need for comprehensive and objective evaluations of current practices to direct and improve future initiatives. Impending federal waste reduction legislation requires substantial reductions in the amount of refuse landfilled by 2000. Municipalities relying heavily upon landfilling for waste disposal must investigate techniques for improving effectiveness and efficiency of current waste management procedures, and examine alternative methods for managing municipal solid waste. Calgary, Alberta employs sanitary landfilling exclusively to fulfill municipal solid waste disposal requirements in the City. landfill operations appeared to pose little threat of environmental pollution. However, outstanding issues surrounding compliance with provincial waste legislation requires further attention. As greater emphasis is given to diverting solid waste from landfills, cities such as Calgary must investigate alternative waste management options such as incineration, recycling, and composting to decrease landfilled wastes and implement waste minimization programs. Prior to adopting new waste management methods, current waste management techniques must be evaluated to determine the appropriate direction of future initiatives.